Jacqueline Hart, Nederland. Friday night, December 14, 2018, was the one year “paper anniversary” for Hub Ned, founded by locals Steve and Jen Karowe. The celebration was not only for the entrepreneurs who founded the worksite for remote and self-employed members of the community, but for the clients who benefit from the space and services Hub Ned provides.
Alvin Mites, a self-employed web designer, says the most beneficial factor Hub Ned provides him is, “it gives me space that I can define as work.” He continued, “Working out of my house was difficult because there are always distractions. I still have a chance to talk to some people (here), and it is specifically about getting something done.” He said he enjoyed taking some down-time and discussing projects with other members, as well.
Meaghan Booker, a sales force consultant employed by a firm in Boulder and working remotely, said the benefit for her is consistently reliable internet. She said distractions working at home were not as much of an issue for her, but she also enjoys having a “work bubble” to rely on.
Meaghan experienced literal road blocks commuting to Boulder for work after the 2012 flood. Today, she can focus more on her work and developing her career because she can stay in her neighborhood, while working in her chosen field, without the challenges environmental factors can bring.
Beautiful mountain communities and internet do not always mix, and many in these communities sacrifice one for the other despite the promise’s advertisers make that Wi-Fi is reliable and available. Local skepticism regarding claims of dependable Wi-Fi has become natural. Hub Ned has the fastest and most dependable Wi-Fi service locally because the service is Fiber Optic through Century Link. This is not the same Century Link service running through houses, or even local restaurants, coffee shops and businesses. Steve Karowe was able to work with Century Link to install a fiber optic line from the highway to the Hub Ned building, providing 1 gigabyte service. For the less internet speed savvy, 1 Gb is about 20 times faster than extremely high-speed internet of 50Mbps. When Hub Ned clients were asked how they liked the internet provided, eyes lit up authentically, affirming that Hub Ned’s internet speed claims are valid.
Jen and Steve, who have lived together in Nederland for over ten years, said the goal of Hub Ned is to provide a place where people can work where they live and to help the Nederland economy be successful and productive.
Jen is also a member of the Board of Directors for Teens, Inc. in Nederland and the couple’s two children attend Nederland Elementary. Jen left a job at Ball Aerospace to raise her children and has experienced first- hand the challenges that working from home in a mountain community can bring. With Hub Ned, the Karowe’s are helping to solve those challenges for the community.
Hub Ned’s own web designer, Chaucee Stillman, is also a client of Hub Ned. Chaucee is web designer and social media strategist who also provides photography services for her clients. She moved to Coal Creek Canyon in August of this year, with three years’ experience in her field. Though she continues to work with clients out of state, she prefers to work with clients in the community because it offers the client the benefit of face time, when needed, and she can help clients who need web site photos along with their designs and marketing.
Hub Ned is currently offering a BOGO sale on all memberships. Membership benefits also include discounts with partners in the area on services from fitness to eating out, copier and fax availability, networking and seminars. In January, events include an opportunity for members to get discounted head shot photos with local photographer Jennifer Morgan and the Women’s Networking Group, January 22, 2019, which meets monthly.
For more information about Hub Ned or to schedule a free tour, visit their website at www.hubned.com or call 303-848-2520.
(Originally published in the December 20, 2018, print edition of The Mountain-Ear.)
